Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-13
YOU awning to eat here 1 am nearly

YOU anything to eat herea | am nearly
starving"
Jantje grinned knowingly, and, grubbing
in heap Of rubbish in the corner, fished out
gourd with piece of fiat sheet iron which
had once formed the back plate of stove,
placed on the top II contained amaas," or
curdled buttermilk, which a woman had
brought him down that very morning from
neighboring kraal, and was destined for
Jantje's own suppers Hungry he was
himself. for he had had no food all day, he
gave it to jess without moments hesita-
ton, together with a wooden spoon, and,
squatting on the rock before her, watched her
eat it with cultural EXPLANATIONS of satisfac-
ton Not knowing that she was robbing a
hungry man, jess ate the MAS to the last
spoonful, and was grateful to feel the sensa-
ton of guawing sickness leave her.
"Now," she said, stell me what you mean"
Thereon Jamie began at the beginning and
related the events of the day, so far as he
was acquainted with them. When he came
to where the old man was dragged, with
kicks and blows and ignolliny, from his own
house, jess eyes flashed, and she positively
ground her teeth with indignation; and as for
uti lttttiEo, NHtH sht iteti ticst tfitft tt vas
condemned to death and to be shot at dawn
on the morrow, they simply baffied deserip-
ton. OF the Bessie complication Jantje was
quite ignorant and could only tell her that
Frank Muller had an interview with her sis
ter in the little plantation, and that after that
she was shut up in the store room, where she
still was But this was quite enough for jess,
who knew Mullers character better, perhaps,
than anybody else, and was not by any means
ignorant of his designs upon Bessie. A few
moments thought put the key of the matter
into her hand. She saw now what was the rea
son of the granting of the pass and of the deter
mined and partially successful attempt at
wholesale murder q which they had been the
victims She saw, too, why her old uncle had
been condemned to death-that was to he
used as a lever with Bessie; the man was ca
Fable even of that. Yes she saw it all as clear
as daylight, and in her heart she swore, help
less as she seemed to be, that she would find
way to prevent it, But what way? what
way! All, if only John were hereI But he
was not. so she must act without him, if only
she could see the way to action. She thought
first of all of going down boldly and facing
Muller and denouncing him as murderer
before his men; but moments reflection
showed that this was impracticable. For his
own safety he would be obliged to stop her
mouth somehow, and the best she could ex-
pect would be to be incarcerated and rendered
quite powerlesS. If only she could manage to
communicate with Bessiel At any rate, it
was absolutely necessary that she should know
what was going on. She might as well be-a
hundred miles away as hundred yards.
"Jantje," she said, "teIl me where the Beers
| are
Some are in the wagon house, missile, some
| are on sentry, and the rest are down by the
wagon they brought with them and out
SPAWNED behind the gums there. The cart is
there, too, that came just before you did,
with the clergyman in it"
"And where is Frank Muller2r
81 don't know, missile; but he brought q
round tent with him in the wagon, and 1t is
| pitched between the two big gums"
"Jantie, must 60 down there and find out
what is going on, and you must come with
me"
"Nou viii be caught. missile. There is 4
sentry at the back of the wagon house and
two in front But" he added perhaps w,
might get near | will go out and look at tn,
night"
Presently he returned and said that &
small rain had come on and the clouds GOV
cred up the stars So that it was very dark
| well, let us 60 at once" said jess.
missile, YOU had better not go, answered
the Hottentot You will get wet and th,
| Beers will catch YOU Better let me 60
can creep about like a snake, and if the Boer
| catch me il won't matter
you must come too. but | am going
| must find out
Then the HottentOt shrugged his shoulder
and yielded, and, having extinguished TIN
candle, silently as ghosts they crept out int
the night.